DivaCup Review and Giveaway! Closed!

This post goes into detail about my menstrual cycle. You may not want to read it. Check out the other lovely posts on my sidebar!

"Over 15 years ago, Francine recognized the need for an alternative to unreliable disposable tampons and pads and found a company offering menstrual cups. She and her daughter, Carinne, single handedly resurrected the 75 year old menstrual cup concept by reintroducing this product to the world market when it was virtually unknown. They sold this rubber/latex version for 10 years.
In 2003, drawing on their experience and expert knowledge about the menstrual cup category, they developed a modern redesign, made from soft, top-quality silicone, to meet the needs of today’s woman. They launched their own company, Diva International. Their revolutionary concept, The DivaCup, is patent-pending and ISO certified. Today, The DivaCup is the preferred choice.
The DivaCup Team has over 38 years of combined experience in natural feminine hygiene alternatives. Their passion is to provide women an environmentally responsible, convenient and reliable alternative to tampons and pads."

If you had asked two years ago, a menstrual cup was something I was vaguely familiar with. I had heard of a non reusable cup, but didn't really care for that option. Then, I got pregnant. I had a pretty nice break from my period.

When Lovebug turned one, my period returned with a vengeance. As you all already know. Pads and tampons combined were no help. I was going through boxes and packs of them in such a short time. It was then that I remembered my interest in a reusable menstrual cup.

Not only was I blowing through money and precious resources (think all of the paper, cardboard, etc). But I was also allowing nasty chemicals near my skin. Many people report a shorter and lighter period when they take disposable pads and tampons out of the mix. Lighter and shorter was definitely something I needed at the time.

I contacted DivaCup and they were nice enough to send me one of their reusable menstrual cups, made from a soft silicone (so no allergies!). This was the first cup I'd ever had. I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting, but as I pulled the DivaCup out of the package, it surely wasn't it. I had to wonder how this small silicone cup was going to hold back what I'd been dealing with.

Now, I know I was on the extreme end. I was bleeding enough that I was worrying doctors. I wasn't really expecting the DivaCup to work. It took a few minutes to get it in correctly. Trust me, you'll know when it is in. I can feel a "pop" when it opens back up. After that, I just went around like normal. After a few hours with no leaks, I checked. The cup was full but had stayed in place! Win #1 for DivaCup.

Night, however, was a different story. With the way I had been bleeding and filling a cup in a few hours, I expected very little from the DivaCup for overnight use. I was right. I still had to wake up during the night to empty it or expect a MESS in the morning. Since normal periods aren't even as half as bad at that one though, I knew it was just the situation. I've since had a lighter period where the cup was perfectly fine while I slept (10 hours).

Overall, I'm really happy with the DivaCup. It's really easy to use. Super easy to clean. I don't have anything bad to say about it at all! I'm not longer buying pads and tampons. If I feel like I need a back up, I can use a light cloth pad! I'm not worrying about any more messes.

DivaCup is also the maker of the DivaWash! I didn't get to try it, but I plan to purchase some if I can find it in a store around me.

The DivaWash is:

• Naturally pH balanced
• Gentle: Ideal for sensitive skin
• Concentrated formula: reduces the eco-footprint
• 100% plant-based ingredients
• No animal testing or animal ingredients
• No parabens, sulfates or petrochemicals

DivaCup has generously offered to give TWO Moma Lovebug readers a DivaCup and DivaWash!

Want to win?

You must first visit DivaCup and take a look around. Then come back and tell something you learned. This is a mandatory entry. If you do not complete this entry, all other entries will be disqualified.

"Like" DivaCup on Facebook.

Become a follower of DivaCup on Twitter.

Sign up for the DivaCup Newsletter.

Subscribe to my blog (by email OR a reader).

Follow my blog with Google Friend Connect.

Grab my button. The code has changed to redirect to my new site. Leave the link of where you placed it in your comment. (2 entries- this won't count if you don't relink it)

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Tweet about the giveaway by using the following text- RT @MomaLovebug DivaCup and DivaWash Giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/26ca7te You may tweet once per day for extra entries. Please leave the permalink of your tweet in your comment.

Blog about the giveaway. Please link back to Moma Lovebug and DivaCup. Leave the link to your blog in your comment. (5 entries)


You must leave your email in your comment so that I can contact you. Also, please remember to leave a separate comment for each of your entries. Otherwise they will not count.

Contest is open to US and Canadian Residents. Contest will end 5/24/10 at 11:59 pm EST. A winner will be chosen by random.org and will be notified by email. I will also announce the winner in a separate post. You must contact me within 48 hours. If you fail to claim your prize, a new winner will be chosen by random.org and emailed. Please see my Disclosure.

*I received the DivaCup free of charge in exchange for this review. The opinions expressed are my own*